All The Republicans Who Say They’ll Vote To Impeach Trump - Forbes

Topline

A small but growing group of Republicans in Congress say they will vote to impeach President Donald Trump for his alleged role in last week’s brutal assault on the U.S. Capitol – an unprecedented loss of control for the president at a time when he is at his most vulnerable.

Key Facts

Anywhere from 10 to 20 Republicans have indicated privately that they will back impeachment, according to multiple reports.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the chair of the Republican conference and third-ranking GOP House member, said Tuesday she will back impeachment: "There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,” Cheney said in a statement.

Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) became the first Republican to publicly back impeachment on Tuesday, according to a statement the congressman relayed to Syracuse, New York-based Post-Standard.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), a vocal opponent of Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, alleged in a statement that the president “broke his oath of office and incited this insurrection,” asking, “if these actions... are not worthy of impeachment, then what is an impeachable offense?"

Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), John Curtis (R-Utah) – all of whom had been seen as possible votes for impeachment – introduced a censure resolution as an alternative, warning impeachment could “even further divide and inflame tensions in our nation” without explicitly ruling it out.

Most House Republicans are opposed to the move, including the two top-ranking GOP leaders in the House, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).

Key Background

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) introduced one article of impeachment against Trump on Monday, moving to charge the president with “incitement of insurrection” after he riled up a crowd that later infiltrated the Capitol. House Democrats attempted to pass a resolution Monday calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump, but it failed. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), one of the Democrats who has helped draft the impeachment article, said Monday Democrats “have the votes to impeach.” A simple majority in the House can impeach a sitting president, while a two thirds supermajority in the Senate is required to remove a president. Although there are just days left in Trump’s presidency, Congress could restrict him from running for office in the future if the House impeaches Trump and the Senate votes to convict. The Constitution is somewhat unclear about this process, but in the past, the Senate has voted by a simple majority to disqualify them from public office.

Surprising Fact

A group of House Republicans who voted to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory asked the incoming president to help block the effort “in the spirit of healing and fidelity to our Constitution” in a letter Saturday.

Not-So-Big Number

0. That’s how many House Republicans supported impeaching Trump the first time around.

Chief Critic

“I don’t think anybody can look and say an impeachment of this president is the thing that’s going to help unite and bring our country together,” Scalise said Saturday.

Tangent

In a letter to Congress sent out Monday, 22 former Republican lawmakers called for Trump to be impeached.

What To Watch For

While Trump’s impeachment in the House is a foregone conclusion, conviction in the Senate is a far murkier question. A handful of senators have advocated Trump’s resignation or removal without explicitly voicing support for impeachment, but Democrats may struggle to muster the 17 GOP votes needed. Additionally, McConnell has signaled a Senate impeachment trial likely wouldn’t occur until after Trump has left office.